INFORMATION SOCIETY: LIIKANEN URGES POLITICAL LEADERS TO PROMOTE BROADBAND.

The Commissioner claims "the benefits of broadband in terms of productivity gains, growth, and employment are expected to be significant. Broadband will stimulate new businesses and improve productivity and innovation in companies from manufacturing to entertainment. It will increase inclusion in society and raise living standards through better education, health, e-government and teleworking".

In order to guarantee full cover across Europe, the Commissioner identifies a need to alongside current technologies such as ADSL and cable modems, a need to deploy technological innovations such as 3G (third generation) mobile communications mobiles, fixed wireless, satellite, fibre optic, and powerline access. Mr Liikanen claims this diversity will help in "solving access problems in different geographical areas, according to local features. For example, Fixed Wireless Access, satellite, and powerline communications have the potential to fill in where fixed facilities cannot reach". Healthy competition between network infrastructures is necessary for the development of broadband as it leads notably to competition on services and content. According to Mr Liikanen, data shows that nowadays greatest availability and take up of broadband tend to occur in those countries featuring effective...